Double cylinder socks machine with needle selection

Abstract

The present invention discloses a double-cylinder hosiery machine with needle selection, including two upper and lower needle cylinders and a double-headed latch needle. The upper and lower needle guide pieces are arranged in the axial grooves of the upper and lower needle cylinders, and the double-headed latch needle cooperates with the upper needle guide piece or the lower needle guide piece respectively according to the needs; wherein the lower needle cylinder is also provided with a lower control piece in the axial groove, which is connected with the lower needle guide piece through a mutually matching geometric buckle; the needle selection piece, the lower end of the lower control piece; the selected needle selection piece reciprocates in the axial groove of the outer wall of the lower needle cylinder, and when it moves upward, its upper end touches the lower end of the lower control piece, so that the lower control piece moves upward, so that the heel of the lower control piece enters the track set on the inner wall of the steel ring, and moves in a circle along the track. The knitting components in the lower needle cylinder of the present invention only have three parts, namely, the lower needle guide piece, the lower control piece, and the needle selection piece, with a simple structure and reliable operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of knitting machinery, in particular to a double-cylinder socks machine, in particular to a double-cylinder socks machine with needle selection. Background Art

[0002] The double-cylinder hosiery machine has two needle cylinders, an upper one and an lower one. There is a needle guide piece in the groove of each needle cylinder. The loop-forming component that completes the knitting is a double-headed latch needle. The two ends of the double-headed latch needle can be matched with the upper and lower needle guide pieces respectively to knit the front coil or the back coil. Therefore, the double-cylinder hosiery machine needs a needle selection device to drive the needle guide piece of the lower needle cylinder, so as to determine whether it cooperates with the double-headed latch needle for knitting.

[0003] The term "needle selection" in double-cylinder sock machines refers to making the selected needle guide piece cooperate with or separate from the double-head latch needle, which is actually a concept similar to a clutch. In single-cylinder sock machines, there are also terms such as "needle selection" and "needle selection piece", but their meaning is whether the selected needle performs needle clearing, needle picking and other actions or not. The two are completely different concepts.

[0004] Chinese patent 201280056849X relates to a double-needle cylinder hosiery machine, which mentions its needle selection device, including a connecting element, which is actuated by a cam, and the connecting element can swing in the needle groove, so that its heel is either hidden in the needle groove or protrudes outside the needle groove to cooperate with the cam; in order to drive the swing of the connecting element, it also has a selector, which also swings radially, thereby driving the selected connecting element to move. The selector is set at the end of the connecting element away from the double-headed latch needle. In practice, an electromagnetic method is used to control the selected selector, thereby controlling the connecting element, etc.

[0005] Chinese patent 2007800121004 also discloses an actuation method of a double-cylinder hosiery machine, which is actually a needle selection method for double-head latch needles. It includes a connecting element and a selector, and the selector swings on the radial plane of the needle cylinder to make the connecting element swing and move; and in order to make the selector swing, a presser may be required to make a rod translate radially so that the rod pushes the selector.

[0006] The applicant has previously applied for a patent for a lower needle selection device for a double-needle cylinder sock machine, with patent number 2023106385153, in which a needle cylinder seat is provided at the lower part of the lower needle cylinder, and the needle cylinder seat is sleeved outside the lower needle cylinder, coaxial with the lower needle cylinder and clearance-matched; a plurality of radial grooves are provided on the top surface of the needle cylinder seat, and a plurality of axial grooves are provided on the outer wall, and the two types of grooves correspond one to one and correspond one to one to the axial grooves on the outer wall of the lower needle cylinder; a control plate is provided in the radial groove on the top surface of the needle cylinder seat, and the control plate can slide in the radial groove, and the control plate has a convex end, and the two sides of the convex end close to and away from the axis of the needle cylinder are respectively an inner force-bearing surface and an outer force-bearing surface; the axial direction of the outer wall of the needle cylinder seat A needle selection piece is installed in the groove. Under the action of the driving mechanism, the needle selection piece slides up and down in the axial groove of the outer wall of the syringe attachment seat, and touches the tail end of the control piece, so that the protruding end of the control piece has two states: exposed in the radial groove or hidden in the radial groove; a fixed cam is provided on the top surface of the syringe attachment seat, and its outer edge cooperates with the inner force-bearing surface of the control piece. The outer edge of the cam is circular, with several flanges, and transitions to the main body with a smooth curve; a radial pushing piece is provided outside the top surface of the syringe attachment seat, with an inward pushing surface, which cooperates with the outer force-bearing surface of the control piece; an axial pushing piece is provided above the top surface of the syringe attachment seat, with a downward pushing surface, which cooperates with the top surface of the raised end of the control piece.

[0007] The drawback of the above-mentioned prior art is that the needle selection device is relatively complex and requires the cooperation of multiple components. Summary of the invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a double-cylinder sock machine with simple structure and needle selection.

[0009] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: a double-cylinder hosiery machine with needle selection includes two upper and lower needle cylinders and a double-headed latch needle. The outer walls of the upper and lower needle cylinders are arranged with a plurality of axial grooves for accommodating knitting components; the outer peripheries of the upper and lower needle cylinders are provided with steel rings, and the annular inner walls of the steel rings are provided with a plurality of tracks or cams to match with the specific geometric shapes of the knitting components; an upper needle guide piece is provided in the axial groove of the upper needle cylinder, and a lower needle guide piece is provided in the axial groove of the lower needle cylinder, and the double-headed latch needle cooperates with the upper needle guide piece or the lower needle guide piece respectively as needed, so as to knit on the upper needle cylinder or the lower needle cylinder; wherein the lower needle cylinder A lower control piece is also provided in the axial groove of the lower needle cylinder, and the upper end of the lower control piece is connected with the lower end of the lower needle guide piece by a matching geometric buckle; the characteristic is that: the lower control piece has a heel in the direction away from the axis of the lower needle cylinder; a needle selection piece is also provided in the axial groove of the lower needle cylinder, and the upper end of the needle selection piece contacts the lower end of the lower control piece; the selected needle selection piece reciprocates in the axial groove of the outer wall of the lower needle cylinder, and when it moves upward, its upper end touches the lower end of the lower control piece, so that the lower control piece moves upward, so that the heel of the lower control piece enters the track set on the inner wall of the steel ring, and moves in a circle along the track;

[0010] A first cam and a second cam are provided on the inner wall of the steel ring on the periphery of the lower needle cylinder. The first cam acts on the upper end of the lower needle guide piece, and the second cam acts on the upper end of the lower control piece and indirectly acts on the lower end of the lower needle guide piece. When the upper end or lower end of the lower needle guide piece is acted upon, it swings radially relative to the axis of the lower needle cylinder, thereby engaging with or disengaging from the double-headed latch needle.

[0011] The needle selection of the double-cylinder hosiery machine is concentrated on the lower needle cylinder, and the knitting parts of the upper needle cylinder do not need needle selection, so the present invention has made improvements on the above technical solution for the lower needle cylinder. It is not difficult to see that the core lies in the needle selection piece. The selected needle selection piece moves upward, pushing the control piece upward, so that its heel runs in a higher track; thus, the lower needle guide piece that cooperates with it also runs at a higher position, so that it can cooperate with the first cam or the second cam to change the radial angle of the lower needle guide piece. The unselected needle selection piece and the whole set of knitting parts in the same groove with it are still running in a lower track, and will not have any relationship with the first cam or the second cam, that is, no additional action will be generated.

[0012] As a further technical solution, the needle selection piece has a main body with a slender cantilever extending outward, which becomes an elastic end and rests against the bottom of the axial groove of the lower needle cylinder; the opposite side of the cantilever of the main body has a heel and at least one radial force-bearing end, and the heel can enter the track of the inner wall of the steel ring and rise or fall along the track.

[0013] It also includes a plurality of electromagnetic needle selectors, which are arranged outside the lower needle cylinder and include a shell. An electromagnetic unit and a tool unit are arranged in the shell. The electromagnetic unit receives a control signal to control the action of the tool unit. The tool unit is connected to a tool head extending out of the shell, and the tool head cooperates with a radial force-bearing end of the needle selector. When the tool head acts on the radial force-bearing end, the cantilever of the needle selector is compressed, and the needle selector retracts toward the axis of the lower needle cylinder, so that the heel of the needle selector is misaligned with the track of the inner wall of the steel ring. When the tool head does not act on the radial force-bearing end, the heel of the needle selector and the track of the inner wall of the steel ring are on the same circumferential surface and can move along the track.

[0014] The knitting components in the lower needle cylinder of the present invention only have three parts, namely, the lower needle guide piece, the lower control piece and the needle selection piece. The matching relationship between the lower needle guide piece and the double-headed latch needle in a specific needle groove can be controlled by selecting the needle selection piece by the electromagnetic needle selector. It can be seen that the present invention has a simple structure and reliable operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 2 is an exploded schematic diagram of this embodiment.

[0016] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of knitting components and needle movement of this embodiment.

[0017] The reference numerals are as follows: 1-machine table; 2-column; 3-cantilever; 4-upper needle cylinder; 40-upper steel ring; 41-upper needle guide; 411-heel; 412-protruding end; 42-upper control plate; 421-heel; 422-recessed end; 431, 432-pressing plate; 433-heel; 461, 462, 463, 464-cam; 47-track; 471-branch track; 5-lower needle cylinder; 50-lower steel ring; 51-lower needle guide; 511-heel; 512-protruding end; 52-lower control plate; 521-heel; 522-recessed end; 53-needle selection plate; 531-cantilever end; 532-heel; 533-radial force-bearing end; 551, 552, 553, 554, 555, 561-cam; 7-electromagnetic needle selector; 9-double-headed latch needle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] See attached Figure 1 The double-needle hosiery machine of this embodiment includes a machine platform 1, on which a column 2 and a lower needle cylinder 5 are arranged, and the lower needle cylinder 5 can rotate around its own axis; a main shaft is arranged in the column to drive a cantilever 3 at the upper end of the column, and the other end of the cantilever 3 is provided with an upper needle cylinder 4, and the rotation of the cantilever drives the upper needle cylinder to perform circular motion, so as to be coaxial or non-coaxial with the lower needle cylinder. In the working state, the upper needle cylinder 4 is coaxial with the lower needle cylinder 5, and rotates synchronously along its own axis.

[0019] The upper needle cylinder is surrounded by an upper steel ring 40, and the lower needle cylinder is surrounded by a lower steel ring 50. The upper steel ring and the lower steel ring are collectively referred to, and are both composed of several parts, and several tracks and cams are formed inside. These two steel rings themselves are prior art, and the innovation involved in the present invention will be described in detail below. Among them, several electromagnetic needle selectors 7 are arranged outside the lower steel ring, and the front end of the lower steel ring has a knife head, which can extend or retract in the axial direction of the lower needle cylinder according to the command.

[0020] See attached Figure 2. The outer wall of the upper needle cylinder 4 has an axial groove, and the knitting parts of the upper needle cylinder are built in, which are respectively an upper needle guide 41, an upper control plate 42 and a pressing plate 431 or 432 from bottom to top; wherein the upper needle guide 41 has an inverted trapezoidal protruding end 412 at the upper end, and an inverted trapezoidal recessed end 422 at the lower end, and the protruding end 412 and the recessed end 422 are interlocked with each other; the upper needle guide 41 and the upper control plate 42 also have heels 411 and 421 respectively. The pressing plates are divided into two categories, marked as first-category pressing plates 431 and second-category pressing plates 432, both of which have a heel 433. The difference is that the first-category pressing plate 431 continues to extend downward at the lower part of the heel 433 to form a T-shape, while the second-category pressing plate 432 has no part below the heel 433, so it forms an L-shape. The two types of pressing plates are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction, that is, in a certain axial groove of the upper needle cylinder, the arrangement is the upper needle guide plate 41, the upper control plate 42 and the pressing plate 431, and in the adjacent axial groove, the arrangement is the upper needle guide plate 41, the upper control plate 42 and the pressing plate 432, and so on.

[0021] The outer wall of the lower needle cylinder 5 also has an axial groove, and the knitting parts of the lower needle cylinder are built in, which are the lower needle guide 51, the lower control plate 52 and the needle selection 53 from top to bottom; the lower needle guide 51 has a protruding end 512 in the shape of an inverted trapezoid, and the upper end of the lower control plate has a recessed end 522 in the shape of an inverted trapezoid, and the protruding end 512 and the recessed end 522 are interlocked with each other; the lower needle guide 51 and the lower control plate 52 also have heels 511 and 521 respectively. The needle selection 53 has a body, and there is a slender elastic cantilever end 531 extending outward on the body. The body has a heel 532 and a plurality of radial force-bearing ends 533 on the opposite side of the cantilever end. When the blade of the electromagnetic needle selector 7 is extended, it can touch the radial force-bearing end 533.

[0022] A double-headed latch needle 9 is provided between the upper needle guide 41 and the lower needle guide 51, that is, between the upper needle cylinder 4 and the lower needle cylinder 5, and is combined with the upper needle guide 41 or the lower needle guide 51 as needed to achieve different knitting requirements.

[0023] The inner wall of the upper steel ring has several tracks and cams at different heights, such as cams 461, 462, 463, and 464, which act on the heel 421 to push up or down the upper control plate 42; other cams act on the heel 411 of the upper needle guide, or the recessed portion 422 of the upper control plate, or the lower end of the upper needle guide. In short, through the design of the geometric shape of the specific cam, the upper needle guide or the upper control plate is given axial or radial force to produce axial or radial movement. It is worth mentioning that the inner wall of the upper steel ring has a track 47 for accommodating the heel 433 of the pressing plate, which is a complete circular track, which includes a bifurcated track 471 that is higher than the track 47 and is connected to the track 47 through the upward and downward sections.

[0024] When knitting the initial several rows of loops at the sock opening, the cam 462 is first used to act on the heel 421 to move the knitting part of the upper needle cylinder upward, and the heel 433 of the pressing plate is also lifted and enters the bifurcated track 471; when returning from the bifurcated track 471 to the track 47, the pressing plate moves downward, and at this time the lower end of the pressing plate 431 touches the upper control plate 42, pressing the upper control plate 42 together with the upper needle guide 41, and the pressing plate 432 cannot contact the upper control plate 42, so the corresponding upper control plate 42 and upper needle guide 41 are still running at the original height. That is, in the circumferential direction, the heights of the two upper needle guides in the adjacent axial grooves are inconsistent, which ultimately leads to the heights of the two adjacent double-headed latch needles being inconsistent and staggered.

[0025] The lower steel ring is similar to the upper steel ring, and also has cams 551, 552, 553, 554, 555, 561, etc. acting on the heel 521 of the lower control plate or the heel 511 of the lower needle guide plate to make it rise or fall in the axial direction. The needle selector 53 cooperates with the electromagnetic needle selector 7. When the blade of the electromagnetic needle selector touches the radial force-bearing end 533 of the needle selector, the needle selector is pressed in the axial direction of the lower needle cylinder, so that the elastic cantilever end 531 is compressed and bent. At this time, the heel 532 of the needle selector is staggered with the corresponding track and no axial movement occurs. When the blade of the electromagnetic needle selector leaves, the elastic force of the elastic cantilever end 531 causes the heel 532 to enter the corresponding track and run along the track. When the needle selector 53 moves upward, it touches the lower control plate 52 and the lower needle guide plate 51 and also moves upward to a higher position, so that the second cam in the lower steel ring (not shown in the figure) can act on the recessed portion 522 of the lower control plate, or the first cam in the lower steel ring (not shown in the figure) can act on the upper end of the lower needle guide plate 51, so that the lower needle guide plate 51 can produce radial movement to cooperate with or disengage from the double-headed latch needle.

[0026] From the above description, it can be seen that only in the selected axial groove, the upward movement of the needle selector can cause the radial swing of the lower needle guide and the action of the double-headed latch needle. This needle selection method is simple and efficient.

Claims

1. A double-cylinder hosiery machine with needle selection, comprising two upper and lower needle cylinders and a double-headed latch needle, wherein the outer walls of the upper and lower needle cylinders are both provided with a plurality of axial grooves for accommodating knitted components; the outer peripheries of the upper and lower needle cylinders are both provided with steel rings, and the annular inner walls of the steel rings are provided with a plurality of tracks or cams for matching with specific geometric shapes of the knitted components; an upper needle guide piece is provided in the axial groove of the upper needle cylinder, and a lower needle guide piece is provided in the axial groove of the lower needle cylinder, and the double-headed latch needle matches with the upper needle guide piece or the lower needle guide piece respectively as required, so as to knit on the upper needle cylinder or the lower needle cylinder; a lower control piece is also provided in the axial groove of the lower needle cylinder, and the upper end of the lower control piece is connected with the lower end of the lower needle guide piece by mutually matching geometric buckling; the characteristics are as follows: The lower control plate has a heel in the direction away from the axis of the lower needle cylinder; a needle selection plate is also provided in the axial groove of the lower needle cylinder, and the upper end of the needle selection plate contacts the lower end of the lower control plate; the selected needle selection plate reciprocates in the axial groove of the outer wall of the lower needle cylinder, and when it moves upward, its upper end touches the lower end of the lower control plate, so that the lower control plate moves upward, so that the heel of the lower control plate enters the track set on the inner wall of the steel ring and performs a circular motion along the track; A first cam and a second cam are provided on the inner wall of the steel ring on the periphery of the lower needle cylinder. The first cam acts on the upper end of the lower needle guide piece, and the second cam acts on the upper end of the lower control piece and indirectly acts on the lower end of the lower needle guide piece. When the upper end or lower end of the lower needle guide piece is acted upon, it swings radially relative to the axis of the lower needle cylinder, thereby engaging with or disengaging from the double-headed latch needle.

2. The double-cylinder sock machine with needle selection according to claim 1, characterized in that: The needle selection piece has a main body with a slender cantilever extending outward, which becomes an elastic end and rests against the bottom of the axial groove of the lower needle cylinder; the opposite side of the cantilever of the main body has a heel and at least one radial force-bearing end, and the heel can enter the track of the inner wall of the steel ring and rise or fall along the track.

3. The double-cylinder hosiery machine with needle selection according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a plurality of electromagnetic needle selectors, which are arranged outside the lower needle cylinder and include a shell. An electromagnetic unit and a tool unit are arranged in the shell. The electromagnetic unit receives a control signal to control the action of the tool unit. The tool unit is connected to a tool head extending out of the shell, and the tool head cooperates with a radial force-bearing end of the needle selector. When the tool head acts on the radial force-bearing end, the cantilever of the needle selector is compressed, and the needle selector retracts toward the axis of the lower needle cylinder, so that the heel of the needle selector is misaligned with the track of the inner wall of the steel ring. When the tool head does not act on the radial force-bearing end, the heel of the needle selector and the track of the inner wall of the steel ring are on the same circumferential surface and can move along the track.

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